TCS’ Co-Innovation Network (COIN™) is a rich and diverse network that provides value to its customers within the entire technology landscape. As opposed to the rigid engagement models of the past, COIN™ uses IP management and partnering strategies to drive innovation in an environment of open communities and solution brokers. Solutions also involve technologies wrapped in process bundles and new software investments based on subscription rather than ownership.

BUSINESS VALUE

COIN™ brings you the following:

• Innovative solutions sourced globally, customized to customer requirements
• Solutions in emergent and disruptive technologies
• Risk mitigation in deploying futuristic solutions
• Simplification in an increasingly complex technical environment

In delivering these, a COIN™ engagement enables you to achieve enhanced business benefits.

COIN™ ALLIANCES

COIN™ is led by TCS Innovation Labs and includes academic institutions, start-ups, venture funds, strategic alliance partners, multilateral organizations and key clients. This helps COIN™ bring forth true synergies and provide an ecosystem-like perspective to innovation. 

Academia

TCS connects to academic institutions in the following ways:

• We fund research. Much of this research is in basic and applied sciences that will benefit us and our customers in the long run.
• We provide opportunities for sabbaticals, encouraging TCSers to work in university departments that are engaged in advanced research in various fields.
• We invite researchers from academia to work as interns or on specific projects in the TCS Innovation Labs.
• We sponsor/host various events (conferences/workshops/visits) and promote publications.

Academic institutions in COIN™ include:

• Stanford University, Stanford, United States
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
• Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
• Indian Institute of Technology - Kanpur, India
• Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, India

We explore the following areas through our academic alliances:

Data Privacy, Software Testing, Management of Information Technology, Software Process Design and Product Quality Improvement, Large scale Hybrid Intelligent Systems, Advanced OFDM for Wireless Communications, Multilingual Information Processing, Enterprise optical grids, Smart E-Business, Dissemination of Dynamic Data in Wide Area Networks, End-to-End Reconfigurability (E2R) and Network Security.

Start-ups

A market leader strategizes differently from a start-up.

However, in today’s competitive environment, it is important for an established company to know the ideas at work in start-ups—the niche products they make, the new markets they create and their potential for breakthrough or “disruptive” innovation—and support the promising ones. A large number of start-ups have been put through COIN™’s stringent de-risking process to work on innovative solutions with TCS and its customers.

Our start-up engagements have been geographically well distributed, with partners in the United States, Europe and Asia and the focus is on new and exciting technology areas such as Data Center Optimization Solutions, On Demand Distributed Software Development Solutions and Compliance Cost Reduction Solutions.

Some of our start-up alliances are as follows:

• Cicero: Cicero Inc. provides a unique approach to unifying desktop applications, designed to address the specific business process needs of organizations including Global Fortune 500 companies and government departments. As the inventor of the original desktop automation platform, Cicero has pioneered technology that has streamlined business processes and increased the efficacy of organizations at the enterprise-level. Leveraging TCS’ depth of expertise and Cicero’s strength of innovation in desktop automation technology, both organizations have partnered to deliver unique and innovative solutions to clients.
  
• WorkLight: WorkLight develops server software products that help businesses reach customers, channels, employees and partners securely in the places they frequent online, such as iGoogle, Windows Live, desktop widgets, RSS readers, Facebook, even the Apple iPhone. Through WorkLight, people can effortlessly get valuable information they desire, such as account status, product availability or updates about their latest transactions. WorkLight transforms consumer interfaces into enterprise-grade business tools that directly increase revenue. The TCS-Worklight partnership has the ability to securely engage customers, partners and employees through consumer Web 2.0 tools, such as Facebook, iGoogle, iPhone apps, desktop gadgets, RSS and more. Enabling secure, personalized and enterprise-grade interactions beyond their web portal, companies will gain a real business edge and significant advantages while reaping increased value from their existing infrastructure.

Venture Capital Funds

As financiers of the next generation of technologies, Venture Capitalists provide a key connect to innovation. TCS works with VCs across the globe and with their respective portfolio companies to deliver next generation solutions to its customers. We have established alliances with several start-ups working with VCs.

Some of the VC firms that TCS actively works with are as follows:

• Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital (both in the United States)
• Index, Amadeus (United Kingdom)
• Gemini Israel, Pitango Israel (Israel)
• Helion Ventures, Nexus (India)

Strategic Alliances

We have forged strong partnerships with many of the world's foremost technology and services providers like Intel, SAP, HP, Cisco, Sun and EMC to deliver wide ranging customer solutions. These are not marketing alliances, but true co-innovation partnerships through which we pool expertise and create solutions for the future.

One of the disruptive areas being explored collaboratively with Intel is balanced computing that enhances manageability, security, end-user experience and TCO for customers.

CONTACT INFO

To learn more about how we can help you innovate and stay ahead, contact us at coin.queries@tcs.com.